Useful For

C‑reactive protein is the classic acute phase protein in inflammatory reactions. CRP is the most sensitive of the acute phase reactants and its concentration increases rapidly during inflammatory processes. After onset of an acute phase response the serum CRP concentration rises rapidly and extensively. Levels above 100 mg/L are associated with severe stimuli such as major trauma and severe infection (sepsis). CRP assays are used to detect systemic inflammatory processes; to assess treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotics; to detect intrauterine infections with concomitant premature amniorrhexis; to differentiate between active and inactive forms of disease with concurrent infection, e.g. in patients suffering from SLE or Colitis ulcerosa; to therapeutically monitor rheumatic disease and assess anti‑inflammatory therapy; to determine the presence of post‑operative complications at an early stage, such as infected wounds, thrombosis and pneumonia, and to distinguish between infection and bone marrow rejection. Measuring changes in the concentration of CRP provides useful diagnostic information about how acute and how serious a disease is. Persistence of a high serum CRP concentration is usually a grave prognostic sign which generally indicates the presence of an uncontrolled infection.